Car-coupling



W. KELSO.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY z3, 1919.

1,333,303. Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAM KELSO, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE MCCONWAY &

TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,'V1LLn\M KELso, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer" tain new and useful Improvements in Car- Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to car couplers and is especially designed to afford simple and efficient means for vertically adjusting the height of the coupler head above the rails in order to compensate for sagging or drooping of the head resulting from permanent set of springs, wear of wheels or other causes incident to service. Vhile the invention is applicable generally to all classes of couplers to compensate for drooping of the coupler head, its employment is particularly advantageous in connection with short shank pivoted couplers of the type with which tenders and locomotives are usually pro'- vided.

Generally stated the principal feature of my invention involves the combination of a coupler, a coupler supporting member or pocket member into which the shank of the coupler extends and to which it is attached, and an adjustable wedge slidably mounted on said pocket member and adapted to engage the shank of the coupler in a plurality of positions of adjustment, to thereby vary the heightlof the head of said coupler above the rails. As will hereinafter appear, there are minor features of invention relating to particular combinations and features of construction.

In the drawings chosen for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a locomotive coupler embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in end elevation and partly in cross-section, of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in vertical longitudinal section and partly in side elevation, of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a somewhat enlarged transverse sectional view of the mechanism, the adjusting wedge being shown in elevation.

Specification of Letters Patent. Y Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

Serial No. 300,347.

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified form of the invention in which the adjusting wedge is located at the forward end of the pocket member beneath the shank of the coupler.

In the drawings, 1 is the coupler and 2 indicates the coupler pocket or supporting member by which the coupler is attached to the locomotive or other railway vehicle. These members are preferably pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 3 which extends through appropriate vertically alined apertures formed in the pocket member and in the shank 4 of the coupler so as to allow the coupler to swing laterally.

The pocket member 2 is provided with outwardly divergent side walls 5 and 6 connecting the top and bottom walls 7 and 8 and forming therewith a flaring pocket for the reception of the coupler shank. The top, bottom and side walls of the flaring pocket are connected at their rear ends by a rear wall or plate 9 which is preferably extended laterally to form plates or flanges 10 by means of which the device may be bolted to the locomotive or tender.

. operatively interposed between the coupler pocket 2 and the shank 4 of the coupler 1 is a Wedge 11 by means of which drooping of the coupler head maybe compensated for. Thiswedge, which is `preferably of curved segmental form, is adjustably mounted on the pocket member 2 so that its inclined face engages said pocket member and its opposite face engages the coupler. As shown in the principal figures of the drawing and in Fig. 5, the wedge is preferably locatedveither at the rear of the pivot pin y3, and above the shank 4 of the coupler, or at theouter end of the flaring recess in the pocket member 2 beneath the coupler shank. As a convenient means for retaining the wedge 11 in various positions of adjustment said wedge may be provided with a plurality of holes 12 suitable for receiving a cotter 13 which is adapted to pass through a perforated lug 14 formed on the pocket member 2. By locating the lug 14 adjacent the opening in the side wall 6 through which the small end of the wedge projects the wedge is prevented from being inserted in the wrong direction and its proper assembly lis thus insured.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, wherein the wedge is shown as located rearwardly of the pivot pin 3, the top wall 7 of the pocket member is provided with an incline 15 which coperates withv'the correspondingly inclined face of the wedge, said incline 15 preferably being of curved or segmental form corresponding to that of the wedge and preferably being bounded by similarly curved vertically extending parallel walls or shoulders 16 and 17 forming part of the top wall of the pocket member 2 and serving as guides respectively engaging the front and rear sides of the wedge 11. YThe side walls 5 and 6 of the pocket member are slotted at 18 and 19 Vrespectively (see Fig. 4) to permit the ends of the wedge to project therethrough, the height of the slots being governed by the range of adjustment to be accorded the wedge. VBy making the wedge of curved form it is enabled to bearupon the shank i of the coupler to the rear of the pivot pin 3 without the necessity of increasing the i length of the pocket member to accord clearance between the wedge andthe bolts or other fastening means employed for secur- .in-g the pocket member in place.

As well shown in F ig. 3, the lower wall 8 of the pocket member may be formed at its forward or outer end with a rib, bead or thickened portion 20 extending upwardly above the interior surface of said Ylower wall. This is not only advantageous in strengthening the lower wall of the pocket member and increasing the durabilty of this part, but it also affords a desirable fulcrum for the coupler in advance of the pivot pin 3 facilitating, the vertical adjustment of the head ofthe coupler 1 when theV wedge 11V is shifted;

The construction shown in Fig. 5 is like that shown in the other igures ofthe drawings eXcept that the wedge 11 is located at the outer end of the'pocket member 2 beneath the shank 4C of the coupler. In this form of my invention the incline 15, which corresponds to the incline 15 of the construction alreadydescr'ibed, forms a part of the lower wall 8a of thepocket'member and takes the place of the raised'bead 20. Other features of construction preferably correspond to those heretofore described;I and accordingly they have been indicated by cor-V responding reference numerals..-

Iclaim:

1. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler supporting member, of a coupler connected thereto, and a slidable wedge for controlling the height ofthe head of said coupler with respect to said supporting member. Y

2. In a device of the'character indicated the combination with ya car coupler, of a Y' coupler supporting member, means for pivotally connecting saidcoupler` to said supporting member, and slidable wedge for controlling theheight of the head of said coupler with respect to said supporting member. c Y

3. In a device of thecharacterindicated,

vthe combination with a pocket member, of

a car coupler, means for pivotally connecting said coupler to said pocket member, and awedge engaging said pocket member and coupler and constituting means for controlling drooping of the head of said coupler.

t. In a device of the characterindicated, the combination with a pocket member, of, a car coupler, means for pivotallyconnecting saidcoupler to said pocket member, and

va curved wedge engaging said coupler at a point spaced from 'said pivotal connecting means. i V yv Y, 5.` In a device of the Vcharacter indicated, the combination with a pocket member, offa car coupler, a pivot pin for pivotally conf necting said coupler to said pocket member, and a wedge engaging said pocket member and coupler to the rearof said pivotpin.

6. In a device of the character indicated, V

the 'combination with a Ypocket member pro,-

videdV with an incline, of a carcoupler, Y

means for connectingV said coupler toV said pocket member,V and a wedgeengaging said incline and said coupler. y

7. In a device of the characterV indicated, the Vcombination with a pocket member provided with a curved incline, of a car coupler, means for pivotally connecting said couplerV to said pocket member, anda curved wedge engaging said incline and saidcouplerY 'Y 8. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with apocket memberrhaving a iaring rece'ss adapted to receive the Y Y shank of a car coupler, the upper'wall of said recess'being formed with an incline, of a car coupler, a pivot pin for pivotally connecting said coupler to said pocket member,

and a wedge engaging said incline and said coupler. Y A Y 9. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a pocket member proY vided with a curved incline and curved Y pocket member, and means for securing said vwedge in place. I

Y `the head of said coupler with respect to said Y' Y 11.- In a device*ofthecharacter indicated, the combination withfa pocket member, of

acar coupler, means for Vpivotally connectLV ing said ,couplerLY to said pocketY member,

and a Wedge engaging the shank of said coupler rearwardly of said pivotal con* necting means, said pocket member having a flaring recess adapted to receive the shank of said car coupler, the lower Wall of said recess being provided in advance of said pivotal connecting means With a raised portion engaging the shank of said coupler.

l2. A pocket member having pivot pin openings7 an incline adapted to coperate With the inclined face of a wedge, and a flaring recess adapted to receive the shank of a car coupler, said recess being open at the outer end and the lower Wall of said recess being provided on its interior adjacent said 15 outer end with an upwardly extending portion adapted to engage the under side of the shank of a car coupler in advance of said pivot pin openings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 20

WILLIAM KELSO. 

